Gilead alumni panel opens doors for future biotech leaders

San Francisco State University (SFSU) science students received an insider’s view of what it’s like to work at one of the world’s leading biopharma companies last fall with a lab tour and panel discussion featuring SFSU alumni working at Gilead Sciences. The event was hosted at Gilead’s Foster City campus.

Panelists Juan Castillo (B.S. ’16), Hanh Huynh (B.S., ‘14) and Sima Rantisi (B.S. ’16) shared how their SFSU experience, including the impact of their professors, propelled them to graduate degrees that ultimately led them to their roles at Gilead. Their stories align with U.S. News & World Report’s Top 10 ranking of SFSU for upward socioeconomic mobility in the U.S.

“I had classes with very dedicated professors who took the time to mentor me and inspired me to be diligent with my studies,” said Huynh, who confessed that she did not have good study habits in her public East Bay high school. “The professors and community at motivated to do better and keep learning.”

Learn she did. Following SFSU, Huynh, a Biochemistry major who was her SFSU class valedictorian, earned her Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Minnesota, followed by a two-year residency in critical care at Hennepin County Medical Center. Prior to joining Gilead, she practiced as a critical care specialist at Stanford Tri-Valley Care. She is currently an associate clinical development director in oncology at Gilead, where she supports Phase 3 clinical trials in endometrial cancer.

Her leave-behind message to SFSU students at the panel discussion was simple: “Surround yourself with people who support you and have your best interests at heart. Never sell yourself too short and always aim high.”

Castillo was the first in his family to attend a four-year institution after two years at junior college. A Bay Area native like Huynh, he wanted to stay close to home to help his family with home responsibilities. He came to SFSU knowing that he wanted to study chemistry.

“I envisioned myself working in a lab, doing experiments, but I did not know that I had the capabilities to take on graduate school,” Castillo says. “But working with the professors at SFSU and doing research really opened my vision to the possibilities of attending graduate school. Once I got further involved in research my advisors pushed and encouraged me to attend go to graduate school and pursue a Ph.D.”

After graduating from SFSU, Castillo, who majored in Chemistry, earned his Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of California, Davis, where his research focused on characterizing dietary carbohydrates to understand their role in shaping the gut microbiome (the ecosystem of microbes that live in our intestines). He is a senior scientist at Gilead, where he develops and implements innovative analytical methods to support life-saving therapies.

Castillo told the students at the panel session that he was once in their shoes, not sure where his future laid. “I was trying to figure out my career path, and I did not envision myself at Gilead,” he said. “But, given my research experience and training, I was able to get my Ph.D., and I was capable of landing a job at Gilead.”

The Gilead Foundation has been a valued SFSU partner, contributing $5 million to the University’s new Science and Engineering Innovation Center (SEIC) that opened in January, 2025 as well as student programming and direct student aid.

"We are delighted to support the sciences at San Francisco State University," said Gilead Foundation President Jane Stafford. "Through their research skills, SFSU science alumni continue to be contributing members to the Gilead team as it strives to discover and test new therapies to treat illnesses that affect so many of us."

The Gilead and SFSU partnership extends beyond financial support. Gilead employees actively engage with SFSU students through mentorship, guest lectures and on-campus events. In addition, Gilead scientists are interested in exploring deeper collaborations with SFSU – such as contributing to SFSU’s STEM ​ curriculum and providing more opportunities for students to develop professional skills that will help them to achieve successful careers in biotechnology.